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'1' Adapted from The Basket Woman; by Mary Austin。
This is the story an Indian woman told a little white boy who lived
with his father and mother near the Indians' country; and Tavwots is the
name of the little rabbit。
But once; long ago; Tavwots was not little; he was the largest of all
four…footed things; and a mighty hunter。 He used to hunt every day; as
soon as it was day; and light enough to see; he used to get up; and go to his
hunting。 But every day he saw the track of a great foot on the trail; before
him。 This troubled him; for his pride was as big as his body。
〃Who is this;〃 he cried; 〃that goes before me to the hunting; and makes
so great a stride? Does he think to put me to shame?〃
〃T'…sst!〃 said his mother; 〃there is none greater than thou。〃
〃Still; there are the footprints in the trail;〃 said Tavwots。
And the next morning he got up earlier; but still the great footprints
and the mighty stride were before him。 The next morning he got up still
earlier; but there were the mighty foot… tracks and the long; long stride。
〃Now I will set me a trap for this impudent fellow;〃 said Tavwots; for
he was very cunning。 So he made a snare of his bowstring and set it in the
trail overnight。
And when in the morning he went to look; behold; he had caught the
sun in his snare! All that part of the earth was beginning to smoke with the
heat of it。
〃Is it you who made the tracks in my trail?〃 cried Tavwots。
〃It is I;〃 said the sun; 〃come and set me free; before the whole earth is
afire。〃
Then Tavwots saw what he had to do; and he drew his sharp hunting…
knife and ran to cut the bowstring。 But the heat was so great that he ran
back before he had done it; and when he ran back he was melted down to
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half his size! Then the earth began to burn; and the smoke curled up
against the sky。
〃Come again; Tavwots;〃 cried the sun。
And Tavwots ran again to cut the bowstring。 But the heat was so great
that he ran back before he had done it; and he was melted down to a
quarter of his size!
〃Come again; Tavwots; and quickly;〃 cried the sun; 〃or all the world
will be burnt up。〃
And Tavwots ran again; this time he cut the bowstring and set the sun
free。 But when he got back he was melted down to the size he is now!
Only one thing is left of all his greatness: you may still see by the print of
his feet as he leaps in the trail; how great his stride was when he caught
the sun in his snare。
THE PIG BROTHER'1'
'1' From The Golden Windows; by Laura E。 Richards。 (H。 R。 Allenson
Ltd。 2s。 6d; net。)
There was once a child who was untidy。 He left his books on the floor;
and his muddy shoes on the table; he put his fingers in the jam pots; and
spilled ink on his best pinafore; there was really no end to his untidiness。
One day the Tidy Angel came into his nursery。
〃This will never do!〃 said the Angel。 〃This is really shocking。 You
must go out and stay with your brother while I set things to rights here。〃
〃I have no brother!〃 said the child。
〃Yes; you have;〃 said the Angel。 〃You may not know him; but he will
know you。 Go out in the garden and watch for him; and he will soon
come。〃
〃I don't know what you mean!〃 said the child; but he went out into the
garden and waited。
Presently a squirrel came along; whisking his tail。
〃Are you my brother?〃 asked the child。
The squirrel looked him over carefully。
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〃Well; I should hope not!〃 he said。 〃My fur is neat and smooth; my
nest is handsomely made; and in perfect order; and my young ones are
properly brought up。 Why do you insult me by asking such a question?〃
He whisked off; and the child waited。
Presently a wren came hopping by。
〃Are you my brother?〃 asked the child。
〃No; indeed!〃 said the wren。 〃What impertinence! You will find no
tidier person than I in the whole garden。 Not a feather is out of place; and
my eggs are the wonder of all for smoothness and beauty。 Brother;
indeed!〃 He hopped off; ruffling his feathers; and the child waited。
By…and…by a large Tommy Cat came along。
〃Are you my brother?〃 asked the child。
〃Go and look at yourself in the glass;〃 said the Tommy Cat haughtily;
〃and you will have your answer。 I have been washing myself in the sun all
the morning; while it is clear that no water has come near you for a long
time。 There are no such creatures as you in my family; I am humbly
thankful to say。〃
He walked on; waving his tail; and the child waited。
Presently a pig came trotting along。
The child did not wish to ask the pig if he were his brother; but the pig
did not wait to be asked。
〃Hallo; brother!〃 he grunted。
〃I am not your brother!〃 said the child。
〃Oh yes; you are!〃 said the pig。 〃I confess I am not proud of you; but
there is no mistaking the members of our family。 Come along; and have a
good roll in the barnyard! There is some lovely black mud there。〃
〃I don't like to roll in mud!〃 said the child。
〃Tell that to the hens!〃 said the Pig Brother。 〃Look at your hands and
your shoes; and your pinafore! Come along; I say! You may have some of
the pig…wash for supper; if there is more than I want。〃
〃I don't want pig…wash!〃 said the child; and he began to cry。
Just then the Tidy Angel came out。
〃I have set everything to rights;〃 she said; 〃and so it must stay。 Now;
will you go with the Pig Brother; or will you come back with me; and be a
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tidy child?〃
〃With you; with you!〃 cried the child; and he clung to the Angel's
dress。
The Pig Brother grunted。
〃Small loss!〃 he said。 〃There will be all the more wash for me!〃 And
he trotted off。
THE CAKE'1'
'1' From The Golden Windows; by Laura E Richards。 (H。 R。 Allenson
Ltd。 2s 6d。 net。)
A child quarrelled with his brother one day about a cake。
〃It is my cake!〃 said the child。
〃No; it is mine!〃 said his brother。
〃You shall not have it!〃 said the child。 〃Give it to me this minute!〃
And he fell up